Classes in the Kite Runner

“Afghanistan is the land of Pashtuns. It always has been, always will be. We are the true Afghans, the pure Afghans, not this Flat-Nose here.” This is the start of the tension between the two distinct social classes on pages 40-43 within the novel, The Kite Runner. The author’s purpose for placing this scene within the novel is to show the relationship held between the Hazara Tribe, and the Pashtun tribe, within Afghanistan. The scene in the book allows the reader to begin to understand the tension between the tribes, which fuels the story. Due to the research I completed on the tribes within Afghanistan, I can sharpen my knowledge and interpret the scene in the novel better. While researching, I discovered that the Hazaras have Mongol Characteristics. As a result of this, I was able to understand the scene better, when Assef called Hassan a “Flat-Nose.” The reason that Assef Called Hassan this, was to poke fun at his Mongol Characteristics, such as having a flat nose. In the same manner, Assef states, “how can you talk to him, play with him, let him touch you?” Through my research, I was able to learn that it was rare for Pashtuns to play with Hazaras. Hazaras are of a much lower class than Pashtuns, and are treated poorly. Within the scene, there are three apparent literary terms—parallel, imagery and diction. Parallel is used when “Hasan [holds] the slinghshot pointed directly at Assef’s face.” Hassan uses his slingshot in this scene, to fight Assef, and Hassan’s son uses a slingshot to hurt Assef towards the end of the book. Additionally, the author uses imagery, to show the intense tension between the boys. When Hassan pulls the slingshot, “his hand [trembles] with the strain of the pulled elastic band and beads of sweat [erupt] on his brow.” This imagery allows you to realize the amount of stress, and tension Hassan must undergo. Finally, the author uses diction, when he describes the actions of the characters, including when he states,...

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...﻿The KiteRunner is an epic story with a personal history of what the people of Afghanistan had and have to endure in an ordinary everyday life; a country that is divided between political powers and religiously idealistic views and beliefs which creates poverty, and violence within the people and their terrorist run country. The story line is more personal with the description of Afghanistan's culture and traditions, along with the lives of the people who live in Kabul. The story provides an educational and eye-opening account of a country's political chaos. Of course there are many things that are unsaid and under explained in this tragic is an oversimplification. There is also a heavy use of emotional appeal, and an underlying message. This is a flag for propaganda.
The KiteRunner by Khaled Hosseini begins in the 1970s in Kabul, Afghanistan, when the country is in a time of an ending monarchy. The main character, Amir, is the son of wealthy Afghanistan business man, and his playmate, Hassan, the son of his father's houseman, Ali. Hassan is a Hazara and Amir is a Pashtun, which makes them from different social classes. The author has undoubtedly stirred my emotions. I think that this was the author's objective; this is an appeal to emotion, one of the fallacies of propaganda. Propaganda is a message or an idea that persuades the audience to change their perspectives in one way or another. There...

...﻿Reading Questions for The KiteRunner
Chapters 1-5
1. The novel begins with a flashback. What do you think is its purpose? What do you learn about the narrator?
2. Fill in the table below analyzing each character. Defend your analysis with text references.
Describe the character physically.
How do others feel about this character?
Describe the character’s actions toward others.
Important quotes by/about this character
Amir
Hassan
Baba
Ali
Assef
3. a. What does it mean to be Hazara, Shi’a Muslim, Afghanistan’s minority group? Who, thus far, is Hazara?
b. What does it mean to be Pashtun, Sunni Muslim, Afghanistan’s majority group? Who in the story, thus far, is Pashtun?
4. Who is Sanaubar? How is she contrasted to Amir’s mother?
5. Describe Baba’s values. How does he relate to extremely religious leaders?
6. What is Assef’s ancestry? What is his political vision?
7. What happens between Assef/Wali/Kamal and Amir/Hassan? What does Assef threaten (foreshadow)?
Chapters 6-9
8. Why do boys in Afghanistan during the winter of 1975 have gashes on their fingers?
9. What is the proudest moment of twelve-year-old Amir’s life as described in Chapter 7?
10. Amir says, “I opened my mouth and almost said something…The rest of my life might have turned out...

...‘The kiterunner’ is an extraordinary novel written by Khaled Hosseini that follows the perspective of Amir, the protagonist of the story. The director uses symbols such as the kite, Sohrab and the pomegranate tree to help us understand the relationship between Amir and Hassan.
Near the beginning of the novel, Hosseini uses the slingshot as a symbol to explore the start of Amir and Hassan’s friendship. Amir and Hassan are best friends even though they hold two very different statuses; Amir is the son of a rich man, while Hassan is a Hazara and therefore a servant to his family. They play together and Hassan always follows Amir’s orders without fail even “firing walnuts with his slingshot at the neighbor’s one eyes German shepherd,” although it is done hesitantly. Hassan never tells anyone about how the evil ideas are all Amir’s, “he never told on me. Never told that mirror, like shooting walnuts at the neighbor’s dog was always my idea,” states Amir. The readers are made mindful that Hassan and Amir’s friendship is stable; Amir knows that Hassan will always protect him by taking the blame for what Amir has done.
Hassan also protects Amir from Assef using the slingshot. Assef manipulates them both, and to get away from him, Hassan pulls out his slingshot to frighten him. Assef backs away from them as Hassan threatens that if he makes a move, “they’ll have to change your name from Assef the ear eater to one eyed Assef,” Hassan...

...Sarim Ali
11 English U
Corrupt Government and militarism in the KiteRunner
Throughout history, many countries have been diagnosed with a common global disease, corrupt government. The KiteRunner by Khaled Hosseini displays Afghanistan as no exception. The KiteRunner tells a tale of two childhood friends whose lives are forever changed due to the corrupt government, and war in Afghanistan. A corrupt government coupled with a military presence can lead to fear amongst the people, cause civil wars to erupt, and bring with it the disaster of a nation. The military presence and corrupt government in Afghanistan creates fear among the people and destroys patriotism. Civil wars on the basis of class and race are promoted by the corrupt government. Afghanistan, once a peaceful nation on the verge of modernization falls victim to the corrupt hands of the Taliban who lead it to moral and economic regression.
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...The past is never over.
Discuss the ways in which this idea is explored by Khaled Hosseini in his novel The KiteRunner.
In the world-renowned novel The KiteRunner, Khaled Hosseini uses many techniques that are extremely effective in powerfully reminding the reader that the past is never over for the main character, Amir. Perhaps the most effective technique that Hosseini uses is first person narrative perspective, as it allows the reader to feel as if they have experientially understood his past and the repercussion that it later has on Amir. The type of narrative structure used throughout the novel allows the reader to realize the extent to which Amir’s past affected his present life. The motifs used by Hosseini connect the past events to the present, continuously emphasizing the importance of the past throughout Amir’s life.
Hosseini purposely wrote the novel through first person narrative perspective as it gives the reader Amir’s personalized thoughts and feelings to early events that continuously affect his life. Amir’s childhood is filled with events and advice that he carries and somewhat haunts him throughout his life. The most crucial event with the most severe reverberation on Amir is Hassan’s rape. During this scene the reader feels as if they are Amir witnessing the rape as the author describes the setting through Amir’s ignorant and innocent twelve-year-old perspective. The first person...

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The KiteRunner
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My relationship with my Dad as a young child differs greatly from Amir’s relationship with his Father, Baba. Although there were six kids in the family, my Dad never fell short when it came to affection. After a long hard day at work and coming home almost passed six in the evening, Dad always had enough energy to spend time with each of us. We would play video games, watch television and spend the night giggling together. But Amir on the other hand felt deprived of an emotional connection with his Father, which he blames on himself. “I always felt like Baba hated me a little. And why not? After all, I had killed his beloved wife, his beautiful...